“If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.” James 1:26

The lying and deceitful tongue: it can seem so innocent, so harmless, so convenient… “No one will ever know or care anyway,” we reason to ourselves. So we lie – just a “little lie” and we go on. Often we may need to lie again just to cover up the first falsehood, then again… and again. “I am not hurting anyone,” we think – but do we ever ask ourselves, “What does the Bible say about lying?”

The LORD makes it clear in HIS Word that HE hates lying and even “just” deceiving. The book of Psalms often makes references to the “lying tongue” or the “deceitful mouth” and each time these references infer the evilness thereof. In Psalm 52:3 it says in reproof to a “mighty man”, “You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking what is right.” In Psalm 59:12 it says: “On account of the sin in their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be caught in their pride, and on account of curses and lies which they utter.”

The LORD commanded the Israelites in Leviticus 19:11, “You shall not steal, or deal falsely, nor lie to one another.” In this instance, lying is placed on the same level as stealing. In Proverbs we read, “What is desirable in a man is his kindness and it is better to be a poor man than a liar.” (Proverbs 19:22) Also, “Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” (Proverbs 12:22)

In Proverbs 24:28 we are instructed, “Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.” “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.” (Proverbs 12:20) “Simply deceiving” is just as wicked as outright lying and often there is no difference.

So, what exactly is the definition of a lie, you may ask? In Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, a “lie” is defined as follows: “A criminal falsehood; a falsehood uttered for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth.” and “To utter falsehood with an intention to deceive, or with an immoral design.” Deceit is defined as follows: “Literally, a catching or ensnaring. Hence, the misleading of a person; the leading of another person to believe what is false, or not to believe what is true, and thus to ensnare him; fraud; fallacy; cheat; any declaration, artifice or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false.”

The Old Testament is not the only place that the Bible discusses lying and deceit either. In Romans 1, Paul is giving a list of the wickedness of men and in verse 29 we read, “being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,” In Colossians 1:9-11, we are given a direct command as Christians: “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him – a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” Also, in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 25 we read: “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” In Mark 7:21-23 we read “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.”

In Revelation 22 we find out the final consequences of lying: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.” (Revelation 22:14-15)

From a Biblical perspective, lies and deceit are not pleasing to the LORD. Let us therefore pray as the psalmist did: “Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” (Psalm 120:2)

To the KING be all the glory!

We often think that we have rights. We think that we have a “right” to enjoy ourselves, we have a “right” to do what we want, we have a “right” to live. When we as children under the authority of our parents get upset, it is often because we feel our “rights” have been disregarded.

We think:
“I made the cookies; I have a right to the first pick.”
or
“I’m the oldest; I have a right to go first.”
or even when a decision is made for us,
“I have a right to make my own decisions.”

But you know we don’t have a right to do anything. There is at least one huge reason why. Romans says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” And we are told in Romans 6:23 what a sinner’s “rights” are. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The only right we as sinner’s posses is death! We deserve no other.

In light of this it is wonderful to then consider that Christ Jesus could come down to die for us. We did not deserve it. Our sins were His abhorrence, yet He came down to free us from their bondage that we may live and not die, for “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. (Romans 5:8)

Christ Jesus died and took our penalty so that we could stand blameless before the Father. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

God the Father sent His Son to die for us, who had no rights to live, who were despicable in His sight, so we could become blameless if we repented and believed in His Son – all because He loved us! That is amazing!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:16-19)

Let the LORD be eternally praised because He loved us “while we were yet sinners” and died for us to cleanse us and make us pure!

To the KING be all the glory!

Perhaps one of the hardest and most important lessons a Christian must learn is contentment. We are so accustomed to getting what we want, that we think that it should always be that way.

When we are discontent we are being selfish. Almost every time a person is discontent they are so because they are only thinking about themselves.

Paul says “… for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:10) Should we be any different? No! We should strive to be content in all things.

If you notice, Paul says he had “learned” contentment. Contentment is a virtue that can be very difficult to come by. Discontentment can be difficult to overcome. We can not hope to overcome it without Christ. But with His help we can overcome it as well as anything else, for “I can do all things, through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

Why should we overcome discontent? After all not one of the Ten Commandments or anything in Jesus teachings say, “Thou shalt be content”. Perhaps it is not said in those words, but I think I can give sufficient evidence from the Bible, that God wants us to be content.

First an illustration from the book of Numbers: The people of Israel were not content with what they had to eat; they wanted “flesh”. For their discontentment they may have seemed rewarded at first – the LORD sent them much quail to eat. In all reality however they were severely punished. The LORD sent a plague among them and many of the people perished. The LORD was punishing His people for being discontent and complaining.

In Matthew 6:10 Jesus taught that we should pray “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Now certainly we are to mean what we pray, or we would be hypocrites. If we really ask God’s will to be done, then we ought to be content to abide by His will even when we do not like it.

Jesus, shortly before His death on the cross, prayed that His Father would take away the impending trial, however He always ended with asking the Father’s will to be done. He was content that the Father’s will was best.

Everything that happens, no matter what it is, is in God’s hands. If we love the LORD then “all things” will “work together for good…” Romans 8:28 If all is in His hands and we really wish His will to be done, it is wrong to be discontent when life does not go our way.

One more example will suffice. The tenth commandment, “Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” Deuteronomy 5:21 This is telling the Israelites to be content with what they already have and not to wish for the possessions of others.

God may not have said “Thou shalt be content”, but He let us know that content is what He wished us to be.

If we are discontent, it deprives us of cheerfulness and therefore we will not be a “light” to “shine before men,” that they may see our good deeds “and praise” our “Father in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16) Discontentment dulls our light.

Let us pray that God will help us to overcome this enemy discontent, thereby bringing glory to His name! May we all be able to say with Paul, “… for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Contentment is a blessing
That some do not enjoy.
It is a useful tool
We often don’t employ.

For we can not all alone
Content and happy be,
But we must ask God’s help –
And He’s promised to help thee.

He will help us be content
Even in times of trouble,
And we will show forth in the world
With our sadness turned to stubble.

To the KING be all the glory!

I like to read Mr. Doug Phillips blog on the Vision Forum website. I have learned much from what I have read there. In the first half of this year, much of what he was writing was about our nations history and what our nation is now considering our nations history. It set me to thinking:

It is a sad day when our nation rejects God’s hand as a blessing in our history. When they call the early settlers “invaders”. When they say that Pocahontas was forced to become a Christian and was actually murdered! (That is not all they say about her.) When they call Captain John Smith (a true Christian) a liar. It is sad that all these things are happening, but they are true. When all these happen one begins to ask “why”.

Why are they making up these horrible stories? Why are they trying to rewrite history? I think it is because they want to get rid of the memory of God in history as much as possible.

They have already done their best to take the LORD’s hand out of the beginning of the earth and our creation. Now they want to take His hand out of our nations history as well. Our country does not want to admit that an omnipotent God exists. If they can rewrite history without Him, they will feel more comfortable. They will not be confronted with what the LORD has done if they erase it from the history books.

Our nation needs prayer. Our world needs prayer. We as Christians must pray for our fellow man and not only must we pray – we must shine. We must be a “light” to “the world.” We must be like the city on the hill that “cannot be hid.” (Matthew 5:14) We must shine for our King. We must show the world that He does exist. He created our world and us. He does have a hand in history. He created history. History is His Story!

Praise the LORD for what He has done in HIS-story!

Rebekah ~ The Lord’s Daughter

Perhaps one of the hardest and most important lessons a Christian must learn is contentment. We are so accustomed to getting what we want, that we think that it should always be that way.

When we are discontent we are being selfish. Almost every time a person is discontent they are so because they are only thinking about themselves.

Paul says “… for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” (Philippians 4:10) Should we be any different? No! We should strive to be content in all things.

If you notice, Paul says he had “learned” content. Contentment is a virtue that can be very difficult to come by. Discontentment can be difficult to overcome. We can not hope to overcome it without Christ. But with His help we can overcome it as well as anything else, for “I can do all things, through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

Why should we overcome discontent? After all not one of the Ten Commandments or anything in Jesus teachings say, “Thou shalt be content”.

Perhaps it is not said in those words, but I think I can give sufficient evidence from the Bible, that God wants us to be content.

First an illustration from the book of Numbers: The people of Israel were not content with what they had to eat; they wanted “flesh”. For their discontentedness they may have seemed rewarded at first – the LORD sent them much quail to eat. In all reality however they were severally punished. The LORD sent a plague among them and many of the people perished. The LORD was punishing His people for being discontent and complaining.

In Matthew 6:10 Jesus taught that we should pray “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Now certainly we are to mean what we pray, or we would be hypocrites. If we really ask God’s will to be done, then we ought to be content to abide by His will even when we do not like it.

Jesus, shortly before His death on the cross, prayed that His Father would take away the impending trial, however He always ended with asking the Father’s will to be done. He was content that the Father’s will was best.

Everything that happens, no matter what it is, is in God’s hands. If we love the LORD then “all things” will “work together for good…” Romans 8:28 If all is in His hands and we really wish His will to be done, it is wrong to be discontent when life does not go our way.

One more example will suffice. The tenth commandment, “Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” Deuteronomy 5:21 This is telling the Israelites to be content with what they already have and not to wish for the possessions of others.

God may not have said “Thou shalt be content”, but He let us know that content is what He wished us to be.

If we are discontent, it deprives us of cheerfulness and therefore we will not be a “light” to “shine before men,” that they may see our good deeds “and praise” our “Father in heaven”. (Matthew 5:16) Discontent dulls our light.

Let us pray that God will help us to overcome this enemy discontent, thereby bringing glory to His name! May we all be able to say with Paul, “… for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Contentment is a blessing
That some do not enjoy.
It is a useful too
We often don’t employ.

For we can not all alone
Content and happy be,
But we must ask God’s help –
And He’s promised to help thee.

He will help us be content
Even in times of trouble,
And we will show forth in the world
With our sadness turned to stubble.

Your Sister in Christ,
Rebekah ~ The Lord’s Daughter